1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a honeycomb structure, a method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure, and an exhaust gas purifying apparatus.
2. Discussion of the Background
In recent years, particulate matter (hereinafter, referred to simply as “particulate” or “PM”) contained in exhaust gases discharged from internal combustion engines of vehicles such as buses and trucks, and construction machines have raised serious problems as contaminants harmful to the environment and the human body.
For this reason, various honeycomb structures made of porous ceramics have been proposed as filters that capture particulate matter in exhaust gases and purify the exhaust gases.
JP-A 8-28246 has disclosed a ceramic structured body in which a plurality of ceramic members, each having a structure in which a plurality of through holes are longitudinally placed in parallel with one another and each of end faces of the through holes are plugged into a checkered pattern with the opened and closed states being reversed on the gas inlet side and the gas outlet side, and with these adjacent through holes allowing gas to permeate from one to the other through a porous partition wall, are combined with one another into an aggregated body, and in this ceramic structured body, the respective ceramic members are integrally bonded to one another by interposing a sealing material of an elastic material made from at least inorganic fibers, an inorganic binder, an organic binder and inorganic particles.
JP-A 8-28246 describes that in this ceramic structured body, since the respective ceramic members are integrally bonded to one another by interposing a sealing material layer (a porous sealing material layer) made from an elastic material therebetween, it is possible to release a thermal stress by this sealing material.
The contents of JP-A 8-28246 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.